Log inSign up

Jakmile zazvoní zvonek u dveří, můj syn položí pastelky a běží ke dveřím.

Jakmile zazvoní zvonek u dveří, můj syn položí pastelky a běží ke dveřím.
As soon as the doorbell rings, my son puts down his colored pencils and runs to the door.
FromLesson 21inHardcore Czech

Breakdown of Jakmile zazvoní zvonek u dveří, můj syn položí pastelky a běží ke dveřím.

můj
my
a
and
syn
the son
dveře
the door
ke
to
u
by
položit
to put
jakmile
as soon as
běžet
to run
zazvonit
to ring
zvonek
the bell
pastelka
the colored pencil

Questions & Answers about Jakmile zazvoní zvonek u dveří, můj syn položí pastelky a běží ke dveřím.

What does jakmile mean, and how is it used here?
Jakmile is a conjunction meaning as soon as or once. It introduces a time clause that sets up the trigger for the main action. Here, the bell ringing is the trigger, and the son’s actions happen immediately after that.
Why is there a comma after dveří?
Because Jakmile zazvoní zvonek u dveří is a subordinate clause, and Czech normally separates a subordinate clause from the main clause with a comma. Since the jakmile clause comes first, the comma appears before můj syn.
Why does zazvoní look like present tense even though the action is not really present?
Zazvoní is the present form of a perfective verb, zazvonit. In Czech, perfective verbs usually use present-tense forms to talk about a single completed event in the future, or about repeated complete events in a general pattern. So here zazvoní means something like rings / will ring once, not is ringing.
What is the difference between zazvoní and zvoní?

The difference is aspect:

  • zvoní = imperfective; it means is ringing, rings, or keeps ringing
  • zazvoní = perfective; it points to one complete ringing event, often the moment the bell goes off

In this sentence, the bell ringing is the trigger, so the perfective zazvoní is the natural choice.

Why is dveře treated like a plural word when English just says door?
Because dveře is a plural-only noun in Czech. Grammatically, it behaves like a plural noun even when it refers to one doorway or one set of doors. That is why you get plural case forms such as dveří and dveřím.
Why do we have u dveří in one place but ke dveřím in another?

The prepositions require different cases and express different meanings:

  • u
  • k / ke
    • dative = to / toward → ke dveřím

So zvonek u dveří means the bell is located by the door, while běží ke dveřím means he runs toward the door.

Why is it ke dveřím and not just k dveřím?
Ke is just a phonetic variant of k. Czech often uses ke instead of k when it sounds smoother before certain consonants. Before d in dveřím, ke dveřím is the normal, natural form.
Why is položí used here, and what case is pastelky?

Položí comes from the perfective verb položit, meaning to put down / place as one complete action. That fits the idea that the son quickly sets the crayons down after the bell rings.

Pastelky is the direct object, so it is in the accusative plural. For this noun, the accusative plural happens to look the same as the nominative plural, so the form does not change visibly.

Why is it běží and not poběží?

Běží is imperfective and presents the running as the action itself: he runs toward the door. In a sentence like this, Czech often uses the imperfective to describe the reaction or movement in progress, especially in a general or habitual situation.

Poběží would sound more like one specific future event and would change the nuance a bit. The version with běží is very natural here.

Why are there no words for the or a in this sentence?
Because Czech has no articles. It does not have separate words corresponding directly to English the and a/an. Whether something is definite or indefinite is understood from context, word order, and the situation. So nouns like zvonek, syn, pastelky, and dveře appear without articles.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
“What's the best way to learn Czech grammar?”
Czech grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Czech

Master Czech — from Jakmile zazvoní zvonek u dveří, můj syn položí pastelky a běží ke dveřím to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Czech →